by Jenna Harte
“Stop your whining, Derrick. We’ve all worked hard,” Oliver said.
“I don’t understand.” Drake turned to Oliver.
“I decided it was wrong of me to make you two compete for the company. You’re both good businessmen in your own way. I’d be a fool to not have you both.”
“I already said I don’t want it.” Drake wasn’t going to be pulled in anymore. He’d made his choice, and was ready to move on.
“What the hell is wrong with you anyway?” Derrick then turned to Oliver. “And if he doesn’t want it, why not let him walk away? It’s what he does best anyway.”
Drake would have asked what he meant, but Oliver spoke. “He’s only walking away because he doesn’t think he can have Lexie and the business. He thinks he has to choose between them when he doesn’t.”
“Lexie?” Derrick looked at Drake. “You really did fall for the help? Sharon said you two had something going on, but I didn’t believe it. Jesus, Drake, what’s happened to you?”
“Love has happened to him, boy. Something you don’t know about.”
Sharon scoffed and slipped her arm through Derrick’s. “You’re wrong.” But Drake could see the uncertainty in her eyes.
“So let me get this straight. You’ve fallen in love with the nurse and are going to walk away without a fight?” Derrick scoffed.
“That’s right.”
“Don’t you fight for anything?”
“I’ll fight for Lexie.”
“Really? Like you fought for Sharon?”
“Derrick, don’t do this,” Sharon said.
“Why not? Maybe your nurse should know about you. Have you told her that when the competition is too rough, you bail? He did it at the meeting this morning. He did it to Sharon. Does she know you could be Tad’s father, but you didn’t lift one finger to win Sharon back or fight for a child that could be your son?”
“That’s out of line,” Oliver said.
“Is that why you got so mad at the meeting?” Drake ignored Oliver’s attempt to avoid the subject. “Because I walked out and didn’t give you the chance to beat me?” Drake studied his brother as new understanding dawned. “I didn’t fight for the business because it’s not important to me. Not anymore. And Sharon knows why I didn’t fight for her. I didn’t love her. As far as Tad goes, I agonized over it, but I thought it’d be better for him to think you were his father since you married his mother.”
“So you just turned your back?”
“What do you want me to do, Derrick? Fight for custody? He loves you both, though God knows why. I wouldn’t do that to him. And if you’d let your resentment go for just a minute, you’d see you have it pretty good. You and Sharon could be happy if you let yourselves.”
“He’s right, Derrick.” Sharon turned to her husband. “Let’s just hear what Oliver has to say and then go.”
“And what if I wanted Lexie? Would you just let her go too?”
Drake’s laugh was laced with menace. “No, you’d learn just how far I can go when there’s something I really want.”
“Stop it!” Oliver scolded. “It was wrong of me to raise you to compete like I did, but I raised you to be strong in business, not your personal lives. Derrick, stealing Sharon was wrong. I never understood why you did that.”
“Derrick didn’t steal anything from me.”
Derrick whirled on Drake, pushing Sharon aside. “See? That’s what you do. Whenever I take something, you act like it wasn’t important to you in the first place.”
“That’s what it’s all about for you, isn’t it? Knowing you took something I valued? Well, here’s your reward, Derrick. It did bother me you were sleeping with Sharon while I thought I was in a monogamous relationship with her. I had a crisis of conscious over what to do about Tad but, in the end, I knew Sharon wanted to be married and that she wasn’t too particular about which Carmichael it was—”
“I beg your—”
“Don’t deny it, Sharon.” Drake turned his attention to her. “You didn’t love me any more than I loved you. In fact, in the end, I bet you and Derrick have a better marriage than we would have ever had.”
“We fight constantly,” Sharon said.
“Yes, but that’s like foreplay for you two.”
Sharon’s face reddened.
“I didn’t fight for Sharon because I didn’t love her, but that didn’t mean I wasn’t hurt by what you two did. Does that make you feel better? I’m jealous that such a terrific kid like Tad thinks you’re his father and not me. Is that what you want to hear?”
Derrick was quiet for a moment. “I guess I got what I wanted after all.”
“Did you?” Drake asked. “Growing up, our goals were about beating each other, but beating you never made me feel better. I hated it. I hated that I felt I had to do it.” This time, Drake cast his accusing gaze at Oliver, who looked away. Drake turned back to Derrick. “I know you and Sharon think I’m acting like a loon to give up everything for Lexie but, for the first time in my life, I feel I have something really good. And I earned it, not by beating you or trying to please Oliver.”
“We always thought you were a little too sensitive to handle pressure. What happens when your nurse finds out how you abandoned Sharon and Tad—”
“She knows everything about it.”
“Both of you, stop!” Sharon blurted. “Just stop. God, I’m so sick of this.”
Derrick turned his talons on her. “Sick of it? You helped create it. Nurtured it. You don’t think I know that if Drake had crooked his finger at you again, you’d have gone running to him and taken Tad with you?”
“Derrick,” Drake and Oliver chimed in warning.
Sharon’s eyes closed as she inhaled a deep breath. “No, he’s right. Was right.” She looked at Derrick. “For a long time, that was true. But not anymore.”
“Not since Nurse Lexie stole your precious Drake’s heart,” Derrick sneered. “I have to admit, she’s formidable competition. Feisty, fiery, great body.”
“Watch yourself,” Drake warned.
“No.” Sharon shook her head vehemently, then turned her attention to Derrick. “Ever since you stayed with Tad at the hospital when he nearly drowned, my feelings for Drake changed. I’d never seen you show any affection, true affection toward anyone. And then it was there for Tad. So raw and pure, and I fell in love with you. I wanted to tell you then, but you pushed me away—”
“Tell me what?”
Drake wanted to know and yet feared the answer at the same time.
“Derrick, you’re Tad’s father.”
The silence in the room was deafening. Drake was torn between relief and grief. He wanted to throttle Sharon but believed Derrick was more entitled.
“How long have you known?” Derrick finally asked.
“Always.”
“And you never said anything?” Derrick stepped toward her, violent rage heating his face.
Drake moved to intervene, just in case Derrick struck out. Not that he’d ever known Derrick to be violent, but Drake understood the rage because he was feeling it too.
“I’m sorry. It was wrong. I wanted to tell you, but face it, Derrick, you liked thinking you’d stolen Drake’s child. You lord him and me over Drake. I’m not sure you really love us. Our value is in how we can be used to hurt your brother.”
The rage in Derrick’s eyes quieted. The room was still, waiting with anticipation. “That’s not true.” His voice was low, but sincere. “But how do you know? It’s not like we can take a paternity test.”
Drake waited eagerly for the answer to the question ripe in his mind.
“Tad was a month premature. The only man I’d been with was you, Derrick.”
Derrick only stared at his wife.
“Dammit, Derrick. Just give her a hug and kiss like you want to. No one, not even me, will think less of you for it,” Oliver said.
Derrick grabbed Sharon, and Drake wondered if he was going to hug her or shake her. “You’d des
erve it if I left because of your lies and manipulation.”
“I know.” She grabbed on to him as if she wanted to make sure he didn’t leave.
“But I’m hanging around.”
“Good.” Sharon let out a breath of relief.
“Finally, can we now get to business?” Oliver seemed to have hit his saccharine threshold.
“This doesn’t change my plans. In fact, it makes it easier.” Drake headed to the door.
“We’re not done here,” Oliver said.
“I am. I need to find Lexie.”
“She’s not even here. Let’s get this done first and then you can decide.”
“I’ve already decided.”
“You don’t have to choose. Hear me out.”
Drake’s eyes closed. He didn’t want to listen, but if he left the business, he’d be unemployed. He had a sizable savings and many skills, but he had no idea what he’d do to make a living. His whole life had been Carmichael Corporation. Maybe Oliver was right. Maybe he could have both. If he planned to have a future with Lexie, he needed to at least find out if Oliver was right.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Lexie walked into the kitchen setting her stash of medical supplies and pharmaceuticals on the table.
“Drake’s here.” Claire set a glass of iced tea in front of Lexie.
“What?” Lexie nearly dropped the box of syringes.
“Drake’s here. He and Oliver were playing cards until the brother and sister-in-law showed up.”
Lexie’s brows rose. “Derrick and Sharon are here? Because of Oliver’s condition?”
“I don’t think so. They didn’t look too happy about being here, like they were annoyed at having to come.”
Had Oliver done something to fix the situation? Had he brought both Drake and Derrick down to discuss his plans? Derrick wouldn’t like it. Drake probably wouldn’t either, but he’d live with it. Would it sweeten the deal for Drake if she told him she was willing to go to New York? Would he be pleased or annoyed?
At the very least, she needed to apologize for accusing him of operating out of spite toward his brother. Drake was guided by integrity, and it was wrong of her to suggest otherwise.
“Excuse me.” Sharon entered the kitchen, looking regal and overdressed for rural Virginia in a cream-colored silk suit. “Oh, hi, Lexie.”
“Sharon.”
“I was wondering if you could tell me a good hotel in the area?”
Claire glanced at Lexie, who shrugged and made the offer good southern hospitality required she make. “There’s more than enough room for you to stay here.”
“Oh, no. We couldn’t impose on you.”
“Not up to your standards, eh?” Claire muttered as she turned back to preparing lunch.
“Not at all. It’s just, well, Derrick and I have a lot to talk about.”
“There’s a nice hotel downtown. I’ll get the number if you’d like to make reservations.” Lexie was relieved. She didn’t like the idea of the type of angst Derrick and Sharon would bring to Oliver.
“I’d appreciate that.”
Lexie grabbed the phone book. “I’m glad y’all came down. Oliver may not say it, but he’s pleased to have his family with him.”
“None of us would be here if it weren’t for you. I think I owe you a thank you and probably an apology.”
Am I in the Twilight Zone? Was Sharon being polite, nice even? Lexie jotted down the hotel’s number and handed the slip of paper to Sharon. “You can use the phone in here or there’s one in the hall.”
Sharon smiled. “Did you hear what I said? You don’t realize what you’ve done, do you?”
“Done? I haven’t done anything.”
“Two months ago, if you’d told me Oliver would be in the same room with his grandsons and not goading them to out-do the other, I’d have said you were nuts. I would have, anyway, if I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes. And Drake. God, women all over New York will weep when they hear about you.”
“Huh?”
“Did you know Drake and I used to date? Some people even thought we’d get married.”
Lexie frowned. “He mentioned it, yes.”
“Well, then you should know that in all the time I’ve known him, I have never seen Drake look at anyone the way he looks at you.”
“I see.” Lexie couldn’t sort out what Sharon was saying to her.
“And even me, Lexie. God, I confessed my greatest secret and it felt good. Don’t tell anyone though. I have a reputation to uphold.”
“Ah … your secret is safe with me.”
“Not me,” Claire said.
Sharon regarded the older woman. “I’ll take my chances.”
Claire snorted. “You’re alright, for a Yankee.”
“What does she think of Drake?” Sharon nodded toward Claire.
“She won’t forgive him for criticizing her cookies. Especially since he was right.”
“Traitor.” Claire grumbled.
Sharon laughed. “Well, let me make this call.” She pulled her cell phone from her purse and headed out to the hall.
“Why do you think she said that?” Lexie stood next to Claire and spoke low to avoid being overheard.
“Oh, I don’t know. Maybe she’s jealous. Or maybe she wants you to know how much he cares for you. He does love you, you know.”
“No. I hurt him. I mean really hurt him. Any feelings he had, which I’m sure weren’t love, are gone.” The guilt about that would eat her alive.
“I wouldn’t be so sure.”
“We are so different.”
“If you love him too, then that’s all that matters, Lexie. The rest is just details.”
Lexie sat on the porch swing in the afternoon heat. It was too hot and humid to be outside, but she couldn’t breathe in the house. With Drake just a room away, her heart had lodged itself in her throat and stayed. It was unbearable. She hoped Oliver, Drake, and Derrick were working out a solution that would allow her to be with Drake, even if it meant a move to New York, assuming he would forgive her. Her feminist side chastised her, but her soul told her it was the only way she’d find happiness.
The door opened, and Claire came out with Derrick and Sharon following her.
“Great day, it’s hot out. It’s a wonder you haven’t melted, Lexie.” Claire fanned herself with her hand.
“I needed a little air.”
“I’m off to run some errands. Mr. Carmichael and his wife are heading to the hotel.”
“Sharon and I need some time.” Derrick had his arm around Sharon, who smiled up at him.
Lexie searched his face. There was something different. Still wary, but softer, less guarded. “If you need anything, please call.”
He stared at her as if he wanted to say something. Instead, he strode down the steps to his rental car.
“Thank you, Lexie. For everything.” Sharon called back.
Lexie frowned as she watched them get in their rental car. “Something’s wrong with them.”
Their car pulled out of the drive.
“They seem alright to me. Drake and Oliver are in the house. I’ve served them lunch. Drake’s room is made up, in case he stays.”
Lexie nodded. “I’ll take care of things from here.”
Claire grinned. “Just don’t forget about Oliver.”
“Huh?”
Claire laughed. “I’ll be back in time to make supper.”
“See you later.”
She wasn’t sure how long she was on the porch when the door opened again and Drake stepped out. She didn’t know what to expect, but that didn’t stop her heart from doing a loop-de-loop in her chest.
“Hi.” He looked nervous, even though his stance leaning against the rail appeared relaxed.
“The meeting go okay?” She stared up at him and wished more than anything she could run into his arms. At the very least, she needed to apologize for hurting him.
He shrugged. “It was revealing.”
“Really? In what way?”
He let out a breath. “I’m not Tad’s father.”
“Oh.” Lexie studied him for clues to how the news affected him. Unable to read him, she asked, “How do you feel about that?”
“I…uh…I’m relieved, actually. I was resolved to let it go, to let Derrick be the father, but couldn’t quite get over the guilt I could be abandoning my son.”
Lexie nodded.
“But I’d be lying if I weren’t a little sad about it too.” He laughed. “I never thought I’d say this, but I think I could be a good father.”
“Yes.” She wished she could be the one to provide him with the children. “Are you sure Tad is Derrick’s son? I thought it couldn’t be tested because you and Derrick are identical twins.”
“Timing. Sharon says Tad was early. She didn’t tell anyone at the time, but we weren’t together when Tad was conceived.”
“How’d Oliver take it?”
“You don’t realize how much you have changed him, all of us.”
It was the second time in the day someone had said that about her and the Carmichael family.
“Oliver praised Derrick’s parenting skills, even encouraged him to hug his wife. I would have never believed it if I hadn’t seen it.”
“Terminal illness has a way of changing people. I think Oliver wants to make peace with you and Derrick. I’m glad you returned to see him, to honor his wishes.”
Drake sent her a pointed look. “It wasn’t his illness that changed him. And I didn’t return for Oliver. At least, that wasn’t the only reason.”
“You didn’t?” Lexie swallowed hard, hoping it was love she saw shining in his eyes.
“No. I went to the meeting today planning to fight like hell to gain control of Carmichael Corporation, but I got there and my heart wasn’t in it. I sat in the boardroom and watched all those men with more money and power … all the things I was taught to strive for, and it left me cold. I realized then I’d give it all up, everything, to be with you. So, I conceded to Derrick and came straight here.”